ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fine — all right
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mug — to rob
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fork — in a road
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. date — the fruit
  21. lean — thin
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. lean — to bend
  24. date — on the calendar

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com